Animations are available for all of the Geostationary satellites (MTSAT, GOES-East, GOES-West, Meteosat at 0-degrees longitude and Meteosat at 57-degrees longitude). There is also global composite infrared image available.
This is the estimated cloud top height, in Flight Level, computed from the Japanese MTSAT satellite IR1 channel and the WRF model data. The height is computed as follows: - First find the IR brightness temperature for a grid point. - Then, for that temperature, use the WRF model data to find the appropriate flight level.
Notes: (a) Generally, for solid cloud decks, the cloud top height will be OVER-estimated, i.e. higher than the true height. (b) For semi-transparent cloud decks, the cloud top height will be UNDER-estimated, i.e. lower than the true height.
This is a gray-scale image representing the visible channel from the Japanese MTSAT satellite. Generally speaking, white areas represent clouds. The brighter the color, the thicker the cloud layer.
These are color images representing the IR channels from the Japanese MTSAT satellite. Channels 1, 2 and 4 are IR channels on the MTSAT satellite. The units of the IR channels are the so-called "brightness temperature", which is a measure of the temperature of an object assuming that it radiates as a black body. Clouds are not perfect black bodies, therefore the brightness temperature tends to be lower than the actual cloud top temperature.
This is a color image representing the Water Vapor channel from the Japanese MTSAT satellite. The WV channel is derived from radiation at wavelengths around 6 to 7 microns. The emitted radiation is converted to temperature for display purposes, as with other IR imagery. The data gives information about the moisture in the 300 - 600 hPa layer. Warmer temperatures indicate a dry upper atmosphere, colder temperatures indicate a moister upper atmosphere.
The global composite image is generated at TAMC and then sent to the AOAWS system as an image file. We are only receiving infrared images for the global composite.
These are color images representing the composited IR channels from all of the geostationary satellites. As with the MTSAT IR channels, these images are presented using brightness temperature.
For GOES East, we recieve both visible and infrared images.
This is a gray-scale image representing the visible channel from the GOES East satellite. Generally speaking, white areas represent clouds. The brighter the color, the thicker the cloud layer.
This is a color image representing the IR channel from the GOES East satellite. As with the MTSAT IR channels, these images are presented using brightness temperature.
For GOES West, we recieve both visible and infrared images.
This is a gray-scale image representing the visible channel from the GOES West satellite. Generally speaking, white areas represent clouds. The brighter the color, the thicker the cloud layer.
This is a color image representing the IR channel from the GOES West satellite. As with the MTSAT IR channels, these images are presented using brightness temperature.
For the Meteosat 0-degree satellite, we recieve both visible and infrared images.
This is a gray-scale image representing the visible channel from the Meteosat 0-degree satellite. Generally speaking, white areas represent clouds. The brighter the color, the thicker the cloud layer.
This is a color image representing the IR channel from the Meteosat 0-degree satellite. As with the MTSAT IR channels, these images are presented using brightness temperature.
For the Meteosat 57-degree satellite, we recieve both visible and infrared images.
This is a gray-scale image representing the visible channel from the Meteosat 57-degree satellite. Generally speaking, white areas represent clouds. The brighter the color, the thicker the cloud layer.
This is a color image representing the IR channel from the Meteosat 57-degree satellite. As with the MTSAT IR channels, these images are presented using brightness temperature.